Time trends and predictive factors for safety perceptions among incoming South Australian university students

Problem

Young workers are over-represented in injury statistics. In order to develop injury prevention strategies, this study investigated time trends and predictive factors relating to safety skills, confidence, and attitudes.

Method

Annual surveys were conducted from 2006-2009 among incoming students at the University of Adelaide. The questions addressed safety training, injury experience, and health and safety perceptions.

Results

Time trends in training, perceived safety skills, confidence, and attitudes were not significant. In terms of skills and confidence, the most important correlate was safety training outside of high school (odds ratio = 1.6), especially when repeated, assessed, or in face to face mode. Feeling strongly about safety issues was best predicted by injury experience (OR = 1.7) and gender.

Discussion

These results emphasize the value of assessed training, but they are also consistent with published U.S. data, indicating no improvement over time. It is suggested that there be a more integrated approach in safety education, involving schools and workplaces.

Impact on industry

By developing an understanding of student safety perceptions and experiences, this research aims to target strategies to reduce the excess injury rate for young workers. Workplaces should be more aware of the limitations of school-based safety education and a more integrated and evidence-based approach should be developed, involving schools and workplaces.     

Children's behavioral traits and risk of injury: Analyses from a case-control study of agricultural households

Problem

Children on family agricultural operations have high risk of injury. The association between children's behavioral traits and their risk of injury is not well understood.

Method

Data from the Regional Rural Injury Study-II were used to assess behavioral risk factors for injury to children ages six to < 20 years. A total of 379 injury events (cases) and 1,562 randomly selected controls were identified. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), calculated using logistic regression, were used to estimate injury risk in reference to behavioral traits.

Results

Injury risks were greater for children with high levels of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.9, CI = 1.0-3.7) and aggression (OR = 1.6, CI = 0.9-2.7), and low levels of careful/cautious behavior (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.1-2.9). Children with low levels of self-regulation had reduced risks (OR = 0.4, CI = 0.2-0.8).

Discussion

Results suggest that children's behaviors affect their risk of agricultural injury. Additional research could elucidate mechanisms and inform interventions.

Impact on industry

The development of multifaceted, sustainable approaches for prevention is necessary for this unique population. These findings suggest a need for interventions that incorporate specific behavior-related risk factors in the context of family farms and ranches.     

An economic framework for assessing the impact of injuries in professional football

The process of risk management, which is used throughout industry and commerce, involves identifying work activities and hazards and estimating, evaluating and controlling the associated risks. Within professional football, injury rates are several orders of magnitude higher than those reported in other occupations. This sector, therefore, provides an ideal organisational setting for developing and testing theories of health and safety management. A major risk for clubs arises from players being unavailable for selection through injury, with the possible effect that this may have on the clubs’ playing and financial performances. A statistically based risk management model, which utilised four relationships involving the parameters of team-quality, team-performance, club-turnover and club-salary, was developed. The model was based on data from 91 league clubs in English professional football over the seasons 1993/1994–1997/1998. Significant (P<0.01) strong (r=0.80–0.97) correlations were obtained for four log-log relationships between the four parameters. The model, which incorporated a player quality variable, has been demonstrated to describe and assess the impact of players’ injuries on clubs’ playing and financial performances. It is proposed that the model could therefore be used as a basis for cost-benefit analyses of injury prevention strategies in professional football. The results presented support earlier reports, which describe the impact of accidents to employees on the financial performance of their employers. Similar economic frameworks may also be applicable within other organisational settings for assessing the costs of accidents and for use in cost benefit analyses.     

Ecology of player-to-player contact in boys' youth soccer play

INTRODUCTION: Youth soccer (football) injuries occur for a wide range of reasons, but the most frequent cause of injury is via player-to-player contact. This study was designed to study the ecology of collisions between players during youth soccer play. METHOD: Six teams of 11- and 12-year-old male players were followed over the course of a full season. Games were videotaped and reviewed to address three primary questions: how frequently do player-to-player collisions occur; when and where on the field do those collisions occur; and what is the rate of falls and injuries as a result of player-to-player contact. RESULTS: A total of 1,279 player-to-player collisions was observed, or an average of 65.59 collisions per game. Nearly half of the observed collisions resulted in one or both players falling to the ground, and about one-tenth resulted in the referee calling a foul, but very few of the collisions (less than 1%) resulted in an injury. Collisions occurred relatively consistently throughout the games, no matter what the score was. They occurred most frequently in the midfield area, when the ball was on or near the ground, and when players were attempting to retrieve a loose, uncontrolled ball. CONCLUSIONS: Results are discussed with respect to implications for injury prevention.     

Safety Attitudes and Their Relationship to Safety Training and Generalised Self-Efficacy

This paper studies safety attitudes, their relationship with safety training behaviour, and generalised self-efficacy. From a sociotechnical perspective, training programs might be used as a mechanism for enhancing attitudes, especially to improve safety and occupational health. Also, self-efficacy allows to enhance training effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to validate a safety attitude scale and to examine its relationship to safety training behaviour and self-efficacy in organisational settings. With data from 140 employees, results show a conceptually meaningful 3-factor solution. Hier-archical multiple regression analysis shows a main effect of safety training behaviour and levels of self-efficacy on safety attitude. Study limitations and its implications on safety training design are also discussed.     

Walking when intoxicated: An investigation of the factors which influence individuals’ drink walking intentions

Annually, in Australia, 10-15% of all road-related fatalities involve pedestrians. Of those pedestrians fatally injured, approximately 45% were walking while intoxicated or ‘drink walking’. Drink walking is increasing in prevalence and younger persons may be especially prone to engage in this behaviour and, thus, are at heightened risk of being injured or killed. Presently, limited research is available regarding the factors which influence individuals to drink walk. This study explored young people’s (17-25 years) intentions to drink walk, using an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Participants (N = 215), completed a self-report questionnaire which assessed the standard TPB constructs (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control) as well as the extended constructs of risk perception, anticipated regret, and past behaviour. It was hypothesised that the standard TPB constructs would significantly predict individuals’ reported intentions to drink walk and that the additional constructs would predict intentions over and above the TPB constructs. The TPB variables significantly predicted 63.2% of the variance in individuals’ reported intentions to drink walk, and the additional variables, combined, explained a further 6.1% of the variance. Of the additional constructs, anticipated regret and past behaviour, but not risk perception, were significant predictors of drink walking intentions. As one of the first studies to provide a theoretically-based investigation of factors influencing individuals’ drink walking intentions, the current study’s findings have potentially significant implications for understanding young people’s decisions to drink walk and the design of future countermeasures to ultimately reduce this behaviour.     

Traffic culture as symbol exchange - A cross-country comparison of Russia and Norway

The core aim of the study was to gain insight into the cross-country differences in traffic risk perception and driving behaviour and also how culture and cultural differences may influence perceived risk and risk behaviour by comparing a sample of the Russian population with a sample of the Norwegian population. A new measurement instrument aimed at measuring culture as symbol exchange was applied. Self-completion questionnaire surveys were carried out among representative samples of the Norwegian (n = 247) and the Russian (n = 299) population aged 18 years and over. The results showed that culture defined as symbol exchange was weakly associated with risk perception. It is suggested that research carried out to date on the role of culture in risk research may have focused on criterion variables which are not very relevant. However, while traffic safety culture does not seem to be important for risk perception, this study shows that it seems to be relevant for drivers’ risk behaviour and thus it is still relevant and important to focus on traffic culture in risk research despite the fact that culture does not predict perceived risk. As symbol exchange, the newly developed measure of traffic safety culture is capable of predicting drivers’ risk behaviour in traffic and is therefore a valid predictor of traffic safety.     

Bridging the gap: bringing together intentional and unintentional injury prevention efforts to improve health and well being

PROBLEM: Intentional and unintentional injury prevention efforts have traditionally been independent and non-integrated. Fostering collaboration between the sub-fields would enhance work within both sub-fields and advance injury prevention work as a whole. METHOD: A systematic assessment of similarities and differences between the sub-fields was performed, including an examination of relevant definitions and norms, research methods and findings, key risk and resiliency factors, and prevention strategies that would promote collaboration and better advance current prevention efforts. RESULTS/SUMMARY: Several areas exist in which injury prevention efforts could be coordinated or ideas and practices could be cross-applied, including training of practitioners, data collection and analysis, application of tools and methodologies, examination of risk and resiliency factors, and identification of funding sources and partners. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This paper delineates how intentional and unintentional injury prevention practitioners can more effectively collaborate to promote safer environments and further reduce incidence of injury. An integrated injury prevention approach could significantly impact the underlying contributors to both types of injury, allowing practitioners within both sub-fields to achieve greater outcomes through increased credibility, reduced duplication of efforts, more efficient use of resources, and unified injury prevention messages.     

Associations between driver training, determinants of risky driving behaviour and crash involvement

The core aim of the study is to examine associations between formal and informal practical driver training as well as driving experience on the one hand and young drivers’ safety attitudes, self-assessment of driving ability and self-reported driver behaviour on the other hand. An additional aim is to examine the associations between attitudes, self-assessment and behaviour on the one hand and crash involvement on the other hand. The results are based on a self-completion questionnaire survey conducted among a representative sample of Norwegian drivers aged 18–20 years (n = 1419). The results showed that there were small yet significant associations between driver training, on the one hand and traffic safety attitudes and risky driving behaviour on the other hand. The amount of formal driver training was negatively associated with the respondents’ evaluation of their driving skills; although the amount of lay instruction was positively associated with such self-evaluation. The results also showed that attitudes as well as self-assessment of driving ability were significantly associated with self-reported risk behaviour. This was especially true for attitudes related to rule violations. There was a strong association between crash involvement and exposure (measured as months holding a licence). Young novice drivers’ crash involvement seems stronger associated with driving skills (manifested as self-assessment of driving ability) than safety attitudes and self-reported driver behaviour. The consequences of the results for driver training and accident prevention are discussed.     

The effects of attitude,subjective norm and self-efficacy on intention to benchmark: a comparison between managers with experience and no experience in benchmarking

Competitive benchmarking is a management technique used to compare company performance. The practices and processes of one's own organization are compared with the best performance of other organizations to set targets and learn ways to make improvements. Drawing on Ajzen's (1985) theory of planned behaviour, we examined the effects of attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy on managers' intentions to undertake benchmarking in their organization. A sample of 49 managers with benchmarking experience was compared with 46 managers with no experience of the practice. Consistent with the theory of planned behaviour, attitude and subjective norm were significant predictors of intention to benchmark. However, contrary to the theory, self-efficacy was not a significant predictor. For managers with benchmarking experience, attitudinal beliefs toward the technique was the strongest predictor of benchmarking intention. For managers with no benchmarking experience, normative beliefs about the views of key groups such as senior management and employees, was the strongest predictor of intention to benchmark. These findings support the possibilities of refinement of the theory of planned behaviour to postulate the primacy of subjective norms in introduction of group behaviour and attitude primacy in continuation of group behaviour. The findings are also discussed in relation to beliefs about benchmarking and for preparing managers who are about to introduce or continue a benchmarking programme.     

The transtheoretical model of change in adolescents: implications for injury prevention

INTRODUCTION: Many injury prevention interventions require changes in human behavior to reduce self-risk or risk to others. Promising injury prevention interventions may be discarded if they lack power to create a significant difference in outcomes when judging their ability to "move a person from nonaction or negative action to positive action (safety)." The transtheoretical model of change (TMC) allows greater sensitivity in detecting along the change process where an intervention may be effective. The stages of change consist of precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. Change is not viewed as an "all or none phenomenon." METHOD: Use of the TMC was examined using a quasiexperimental, cross-over design involving high school agriculture students enrolled in 21 schools in Kentucky (n=9), Iowa (n=7), and Mississippi (n=5). A series of physical and narrative simulations (safety training exercises) were developed with a focus on preventing amputation, spinal cord injury, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and noise-induced hearing loss. Contemplation and action, as part of the TMC, were measured using a 10-item, Likert-type, stages of change (SOC) instrument comprised of two subscales (reliability coefficients were.88 and.81, respectively). The final sample consisted of 790 students (373 treatment and 417 control). RESULTS: There was a significant group effect for both contemplation, F(1,732)=197.4; p<.0001, and action, F(1,730)=106.1; p<.0001. A convenience sample of 29 of the participating students was selected for follow-up farm visits 1 year postparticipation. Of these students, 25 (86%) had made safety behavior changes in their farm work. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The use of the TMC model can provide researchers with greater precision in examining intervention effectiveness in promoting change.     

Injury risks in schoolchildren with attention-deficit/hyperactivity or autism spectrum disorder: Results from two school-based health surveys of 6- to 17-year-old children in Sweden

IntroductionInjuries are one of the leading causes of death and disability among children in Sweden and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has previously been associated with an increased risk of injury in pediatric populations elsewhere in the world. Current evidence regarding the possible link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and injury risk appears limited, even though some potentially risk-increasing symptoms overlap. The purpose of this study was thus to study the association between both ADHD and ASD concerning the risk of injury among Swedish schoolchildren.MethodsTwo samples were used: a population-based register study containing data from 18,416 children ranging from the ages of 6–17 years collected by school nurses during 2012/2014 (Survey A), and a national cross-sectional study of 3202 ninth-grade children (~ 15 years old) collected from 92 schools in 2011 (Survey B). The data were analyzed using χ²-tests and log-binomial generalized linear models to obtain risk ratios (RR), comparing cases reportedly affected by ADHD or ASD to unaffected controls.ResultsAfter adjusting for confounders, ADHD was associated with a 65% increased risk of injury (RR 1.65 [95% CI: 1.32–2.05] in Survey A, and a 57% increased risk of injury (RR 1.57 [95% CI: 1.27–1.95]) in Survey B. ASD was not significantly associated with any differences in injury risk (RR 0.81 [95% CI: 0.57–1.14]).ConclusionsThe results indicate that there is an elevated injury risk among Swedish schoolchildren with ADHD but not for children with ASD. Future studies should focus on causal mechanisms mediating the association between ADHD and injuries in order to facilitate injury prevention strategies.Practical applicationsParents and teachers of schoolchildren with ADHD should be made aware of the elevated injury risks associated with the diagnosis. Safety experts and injury control professionals should consider the development of specialized prevention strategies in order to reduce these risks.     

Perceptions of injury prevention and familial adjustment among mothers of teen parents

IntroductionInjury is a leading cause of death for infants and children. Teen mothering has been shown to put children at increased risk of injury. The mothers of teen parents often play a predominant role in the lives and caregiving of the children born to their children.MethodThis article presents the findings of three focus groups conducted with 21 mothers of teen parents. Grounded theory methodology was used to explore family dynamics and how they relate to injury prevention beliefs and practices regarding infants and children.ResultsOur findings revealed the difficulty mothers of teen parents and the teens themselves have in adjusting to the knowledge of the pregnancy. Unique barriers to injury prevention were also uncovered.ConclusionsOur findings provide evidence for the need of a multigenerational approach to programs aimed at improving the safety and well-being of children in this context.     

The effects of airbags and seatbelts on occupant injury in longitudinal barrier crashes

Introduction

Longitudinal barriers, such as guardrails, are designed to prevent a vehicle that leaves the roadway from impacting a more dangerous object while minimizing the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants. Current full-scale test procedures for these devices do not consider the effect of occupant restraints such as seatbelts and airbags. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which restraints are used or deployed in longitudinal barrier collisions and their subsequent effect on occupant injury.

Methods

Binary logistic regression models were generated to predict occupant injury risk using data from the National Automotive Sampling System / Crashworthiness Data System from 1997 through 2007.

Results

In tow-away longitudinal barrier crashes, airbag deployment rates were 70% for airbag-equipped vehicles. Compared with unbelted occupants without an airbag available, seat belt restrained occupants with an airbag available had a dramatically decreased risk of receiving a serious (MAIS 3+) injury (odds-ratio (OR) = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.004-0.24). A similar decrease was observed among those restrained by seat belts, but without an airbag available (OR = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.001- 0.79). No significant differences in risk of serious injuries were observed between unbelted occupants with an airbag available compared with unbelted occupants without an airbag available (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.10-2.68).

Impact on Industry

This study refutes the perception in the roadside safety community that airbags rarely deploy in frontal barrier crashes, and suggests that current longitudinal barrier occupant risk criteria may over-estimate injury potential for restrained occupants involved in a longitudinal barrier crash.     

电气火灾的分析和预防

电气火灾主要是由于电气故障等原因引起的,文章对电气火灾的过程、产生原因和特点进行了分析,指出了电气火灾的危害,提出了预防电气火灾的措施：重视预防工作,建立健全组织和制度,进行电气防火知识的普及和培训,正确进行电气设施的选择,加大对电气产品及工程质量的监督管理力度,进行通电设备场所的清理,加强低压线路的防火工作,加强雷击火灾的预防,进行高次谐波引起的火灾防范,做好10kV电网小电阻接地系统的电气火灾防范,建立电气火灾的自动监控报警系统,建立电气火灾的自动监控和报警的网络。对指导电气火灾的预防工作、扼制电气火灾的发生具有十分积极的作用。     

Continued progress in the prevention of nail gun injuries among apprentice carpenters: What will it take to see wider spread injury reductions?

Problem

Nail guns are a common source of acute, and potentially serious, injury in residential construction.

Method

Data on nail gun injuries, hours worked and hours of tool use were collected in 2008 from union apprentice carpenters (n = 464) through classroom surveys; this completed four years of serial cross-sectional data collection from apprentices. A predictive model of injury risk was constructed using Poisson regression.

Results

Injury rates declined 55% from baseline measures in 2005 with early training and increased use of tools with sequential actuation. Injury rates declined among users of tools with both actuation systems, but the rates of injury were consistently twice as high among those using tools with contact trip triggers.

Discussion and impact

Nail gun injuries can be reduced markedly through early training and use of tools with sequential actuation. These successful efforts need to be diffused broadly, including to the non-union sector.     

From the CDC: A qualitative study of middle and high school professionals' experiences and views on concussion: Identifying opportunities to support the return to school process

Introduction: Current research recommends that students returning to school after a concussion should receive a return to school plan that is tailored to their individual symptoms. School professionals play important roles in designing and implementing the supports outlined in return to school plans. Methods: This qualitative study explored middle and high school professionals' experiences with concussion, particularly their knowledge and perceptions of the injury and their experience with supporting students with concussion. Six focus groups were conducted with two to four school professionals per group, including two groups of teachers, two groups of school psychologists and counselors, and two groups of school nurses. Findings were coded into four categories: (a) challenges with identifying a concussion; (b) strategies for communicating with students about concussion; (c) barriers to implementing return to learn plans; and (d) establishing a collaborative school support team. Results: School professionals who participated in the focus groups were knowledgeable about concussion and the importance of helping their student recover. Participants also understood the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussion and communicating with students and parents about this injury. However, the study participants reported various challenges related to concussion identification and management, including the perceived validity of concussion symptom reporting by students. A team-based approach was mentioned across all groups as the preferred method for school-based concussion management for students. Conclusion: School professionals in this study were eager to address concussion in their schools, but desire guidance on how to overcome social norms around concussion identification and reporting. In addition, there is a need for consistent use of written instructions from healthcare providers to help guide return to learn (RTL) accommodations. Practical applications: The findings from this study can help inform the integration of concussion, and other health, management plans in schools.     

The effect of aviation safety education on passenger cabin safety awareness

This paper examines the effect of aviation safety education on passenger cabin safety awareness in knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB). The educational value of KAB has been addressed in various fields such as AIDS prevention and campus safety. KAB has been applied in aviation safety related areas, especially in training, such as crew resource management training, pilot training, and mechanic training. However, KAB has not been implemented in aviation passenger education in cabin safety. This paper uses the construct of “aviation safety education”, which is intended to influence airline passenger knowledge of, attitude toward, and behavior about cabin safety awareness. Passenger surveys were done at two Taiwan airports. The results show that aviation safety education positively affects airline passenger cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior. We recommend safety education that involves accurate instruction about emergency equipment procedures, situational awareness, emergency responses, and relevant cabin-safety regulations.Our findings indicated that an increase in cabin safety knowledge positively affected airline passenger behavior, which supported knowledge–behavior consistency. We also found that a positive attitude toward cabin safety positively affected airline passenger behavior, which supported attitude–behavior consistency. The hypothesis that cabin safety knowledge positively affected passenger attitude – knowledge–attitude consistency was not supported.     

工伤保险中行业风险分类指标研究

简要介绍部分国家工伤保险差别费率情况;通过对相关数据的分析,提出我国工伤保险差别费率分类应以行业工伤事故死亡风险、重伤和轻伤风险、职业病风险和基金支出情况为指标和依据,尤其不能忽视行业轻伤和职业病风险指标;计算了我国近几年各行业工伤事故的个人死亡风险。建议:增加行业风险类别和工伤保险费率差距范围;完善工伤事故、职业病和工伤保险统计指标体系;工伤保险基金应加大对预防、康复、科研、教育培训工作的投入。     

National culture and safe work behaviour of construction workers in Pakistan

It is widely accepted that unsafe behaviour is intrinsically linked to workplace accidents. A positive correlation exists between workers’ safe behaviour and safety climate on construction sites. Construction workers’ attitude towards safety is influenced by their perception of risk, management, safety rules and procedures. Pakistan, a developing country, is currently experiencing a strong growth in its construction activities. Unfortunately, the enforcement of safety regulations in Pakistan is not widespread. Indeed, some relevant regulations are both outdated and irrelevant to daily construction operations. This paper investigates local construction workers’ behaviour, perception and attitude toward safety, and attempts to link the research findings to the influence of national culture. A three-part interview-based questionnaire survey has identified that the majority of workers have a good degree of risk awareness and self-rated competence. Additionally, workers’ intentional behaviour was empirically explained by their attitudes towards their own and management’s safety responsibilities, as well as their perception of the risk they are generally exposed to in their workplace. The paper also reveals that workers operating in a more collective and higher uncertainty avoidance environment, are more likely to have safety awareness and beliefs, which can exhibit safer on-site behaviour.